Study of human cytomegalovirus replication in body fluids, placental infection, and miscarriage during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Abstract

Intrauterine infection caused by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) can lead to embryo, fetal, and neonatal damage. The prevalence of HCMV replication in body fluids (blood, urine, and cervicovaginal secretion) was investigated, and its effects on HCMV vertical transmission and miscarriages in early pregnant women were evaluated. HCMV DNA in body fluids was detected in 1,064 early pregnant women (624 normal pregnancies and 440 miscarriages). There were 101 cases who were HCMV DNA positive in cervicovaginal secretion and the rates were 10.9% (48/440 cases) and 8.5% (53/624 cases) in miscarriages and normal pregnancies, respectively (P > 0.05). A total of 101 cases (63 and 38 cases with and without HCMV DNA in cervicovaginal secretion, respectively) were given HCMV DNA detection in placental villi/deciduas. There were five cases (7.9%; two normal pregnancies and three miscarriages) with HCMV DNA in placental villi/deciduas among the 63 cases with HCMV DNA in cervicovaginal secretion, whereas none of the other 38 cases were detected HCMV DNA positive in their placental villi/deciduas. The percentage of HCMV DNA in placental villi/deciduas was higher in miscarriage group (9.1% [3/33]) than that in the normal pregnancy group (6.7% [2/30]), but there was no statistical significance (P > 0.05). Two cases with a higher HCMV loads in cervicovaginal secretion and placental villi/deciduas had miscarriages. These findings suggest that HCMV replication in cervicovaginal secretion can involve in placental HCMV infection, and high HCMV DNA loads in cervicovaginal secretion and placental villi/deciduas are associated with miscarriage.